A Single Rose
by Crystal Manning
Summary: -Two-shot- Casey has to go the Valentine's Day dance alone. Can Derek do anything to make her feel better?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This one-shot is kind of rushed only because I was rushing to finish this yesterday to put it up today. I hope you all like it anyway. It's a side-story to my story _I Love My Life With Derek_.**

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**Valentine's Day Part 1**

"They actually have something as stupid as Valentine's Day dances here?" Mack asked with a laugh as she, Casey, and Emily walked down the hallway. Mack was holding a flyer in her hands that was decorated with hearts and flowers.

"I think it's a good idea!" Casey said as she took the flyer. "It's a great time for the guys to show us how romantic they can be."

"Case, you wouldn't happen to be the reason for this dance, would you?" Emily asked as she and Mack looked at Casey in suspicion.

"Well..." Casey said.

"You won't catch me at this dance," Mack said as she rolled her eyes.

"Why not? Em and I are going, you should definitely go," Casey said as the three stopped at their lockers.

"Because I'm not a big part of the acting-goofy-around-guys-hoping-that-I-will-get-a-valentine-from-them kick," she responded as she haphazardly threw her books into her locker. "And there's no way I'm going to dress up just to stand around and watch people dance all night."

"The theme is casual," Casey spoke up, hoping that would convince her.

"Well in that case...no, I'm still not going," Mack said as she lowered her blue messenger bag over her shoulder.

"What if...Noel asked you?" Emily questioned. Mack turned around to give her a look with a single eyebrow raised. "I heard that he likes you, a lot. If he asked you would you go?"

"Nope," Mack responded. She glanced at them both and saw a questioning look in her eyes.

"I think there's a different reason as to why you don't want to go," Casey said as Mack closed her locker.

"There isn't a different reason. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go see Derek," she said before walking off.

"You're hiding something and I'm not going to rest until I find out what it is!" Casey yelled after her, causing some students to turn and look at her as if she were crazy.

"Good luck with that, McDonald!" Mack shouted back over her shoulder before turning the corner.

"I'll see you in class Casey," Emily said suddenly while walking away. Casey just shrugged before turning around and getting the rest of her books from her locker. She closed it and smiled excitedly when Max walked her way.

"Hey Max, are you excited about the dance tomorrow?" Casey asked with a beaming smile.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said slowly, watching her face for any change of emotion. "I can't go."

"What!?" Casey cried out. "Waddya mean you can't go? I had our night all planned! You were going to be on my doorstep with a dozen red roses and a box of chocolate! We were going to have dinner at Chez Paris and then we were going to go over to the dance. You would be wearing a nice button down shirt and I would've been wearing a new dress I bought yesterday!" She was hyperventilating by the time she got that entire blurb out in one breath. Max waited for her to take some deep breaths before he said anything to test her nerves.

"You see, my Grandmother is in the hospital, she just had a stroke. My family and I are leaving tonight to go and see her and I won't be back until Sunday," Max said in an apologetic tone. "I would come, really, but I'm really close to her."

"I understand Max," Casey said with a sigh. "I guess I'll just go with someone else."

"You rock," Max said before kissing her forehead. "I'll call you later." He gave her a hug before walking down the hall. Almost instantly Noel appeared by her side.

"Hey Noel," Casey greeted him, suddenly cheerful as they walked towards their English class. "Did you ask Mack to the dance yet?"

"Not yet," he responded with a sigh. "She was too busy talking to Derek." Casey noted the bitterness that was laced in his voice when he said Derek's name. "I don't understand how they're friends. They're completely different."

"Yeah...when they're not having burping contests and making fart noises with their armpits," Casey said as she made a face. "Tell you what; I'll come up with a surefire plan that will get Mack to go with you if you help me find someone to go with."

"I thought you were going with Max," Noel said in confusion.

"I was but he isn't coming so I need a new date," she responded.

"Casey, you don't need a date to have fun at a dance."

"I could say the same to you."

"Point taken."

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"Oh, looks like Cupid has struck," Derek commented as he, Casey, and Mack entered the Venturi/McDonald house to see hearts everywhere.

"You don't sound so happy about that," Casey pointed out as Derek and Mack tossed their coats onto the floor as she hung hers up.

"How can anyone be happy during Valentine's Day?" Derek asked as he dropped into his chair. "It's a day meant to make fun of the people who are single."

"Actually I think of it as a day where we single people can make the couples suffer," Mack said with a grin as she and Casey sat down on the couch.

"Now _that_ sounds like fun!" Derek said before the two bumped fists. "Now who's going to be our first victims?" He glanced over at Casey and smiled evilly. "Do we have a volunteer?"

"Sorry to spoil your fun, Derek," Casey said in a tone which sounded like she wasn't sorry at all. "But Max isn't going to be there tomorrow so you can't do anything to ruin my day...it's ruined enough all ready."

"Just because Max isn't going to be there doesn't mean your day is ruined, Case," Mack said as she rolled her eyes. "I swear it's like your whole life is revolved around him. And that's exactly why I'm not _ever_ going to have a boyfriend."

"Not even Noel?" Casey questioned.

"You and _Noel_?" Derek asked with a laugh. Mack's eyes hardened as a smile came onto Casey's face, which was exactly the reaction she wanted to see on Mack's face. Derek was the type of guy who thought that girls can't match up to guys. Since Mack and Derek have always had a friendship based on competition and constantly showing the other up, Casey knew that Mack would fall into her hands. "Like _that'll_ ever happen."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Mack demanded as she glared at him.

"He's a lesbian!" Derek said with a laugh.

"That's _thespian_ you moron!" Mack said as Casey laughed. A genuinely confused look came onto his face.

"What's the difference?" He asked.

"It doesn't matter. What _does_ matter is the fact that you think it's ridiculous that Noel could be my boyfriend."

"That sounds like a bet," he said as he stood. Mack also stood so they were glaring at each other. If it were possible Casey would've been able to see sparks flying between their eyes.

"I bet you that I can get Noel to be my boyfriend by the end of the dance tomorrow!" Mack declared. Casey's eyebrows shot up, she didn't expect this. She opened her mouth to interject but Derek interrupted him.

"All right, but when you _lose_," Derek started with a smirk, "You have to...clean my room for a week."

"And when I _win_ you have to eat all of your vegetables every time they're served at dinner. No hiding it in a napkin, no slipping it onto Edwin's plate, nothing!" Mack stuck out her hand as a smirk came to her face. "Deal?"

"Deal!" Derek said as he shook her hand.

"Case, do you have Noel's number?" Mack asked as the two started to make their way upstairs.

"What for?" Casey asked.

"I want to tell Noel that I'll go to the dance with him."

"Only in your dreams, Montgomery," Derek said with a smirk as he settled back in his chair and turned on the TV. He could barley concentrate though. He was trying to think of someone to take to the dance himself. He thought about Sally at first but scrapped that idea once he remembered that they were only "friends" and he didn't want to be stuck with an emotional girl on Valentine's Day. He knew who he _wanted_ to take, but the blue eyed girl was too busy setting up her best friend with a thespian.

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"I hate Valentine's Day!" Derek growled as he watched couples pass by him. He could barley go a couple of feet without having to see a sappy looking couple that would make his stomach churn.

"I _love_ Valentine's Day!" Ralph commented as he joined Derek by his side. "I all ready got three couples hit with water balloons and I still have three cans of silly string."

"That's great," Derek said as he threw some books into his locker before slamming it shut with a forceful bang.

"What's eating you? Oh, it's probably the fact that you don't have a date for Valentine's Day for the first time in your life."

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a big mouth?" Derek asked as he glared at him.

"Yeah, when I got the school record of eating the most doughnuts at one time," Ralph responded with a proud smile. Derek just gave him a look before leaving Ralph standing there. He turned the corner and made a face when he saw Mack and Noel talking. When Noel turned his attention Mack mouthed to him with a smirk "you're losing."

"I never lose!" he mouthed back before turning back around and walking the other way down the hall. He flagged Casey down and pulled her away from Emily. "What's up with you?" He asked as he crossed his arms.

"Do I sense that you're going to loose a bet?" Casey asked with a smirk.

"Something's wrong with you. You wouldn't just stand by and let us use other people. You would ruin our fun by making us do the right thing and telling him the truth," Derek pressed.

"So what if I want to see you being put in your place for once? You deserve it," she commented as she spun on her heel and started walking down the hall.

"Do I sense some jealousy here?" Derek asked as he stopped Casey from walking. "You're jealous of Mack and Noel because you can't be with _your_ boyfriend."

"And how're you holding up, Derek? Are you suffering from girlfriend withdrawal yet? Are you suffering so much that you have to take an air headed cheerleader to the dance?"

"Believe it or not the girl I _want_ to go with is being uptight about not being able to go with her boyfriend," Derek said as he rolled his eyes.

"You were going to take a girl whose boyfriend isn't _here_?" Casey gasped as Derek nodded in a nonchalant way. "That's the _lowest_ you can go, Derek!" She huffed before stomping off. Derek watched her leave before shaking his head and letting out a sigh.

The day went by really slow for Derek, especially since he had to go through it watching couples laughing and giggling. He was about to snap from all of the sappiness when he finally got up the nerve to buy a rose that were being sold.

"So Derek, are you still going to the Valentine's Dance tonight?" Mack asked with a cocky grin after school.

"I'm surprised you are," Derek shot back.

"And that means...?"

"That' you're going to the dance with someone based on a lie?"

"Someone's _bitter_ today! And FYI I told Noel straight out when I accepted his invitation to the dance." Mack smirked as she flicked him on the forehead. "Get ready to eat broccoli for a week!" He made a face at her before jumping back when Casey rushed over to them with a big smile on her face.

"Look!" She screeched as she held up a rose. "Look what someone got me!"

"I bet it was Max, does it have a name?" Mack asked as she motioned to the card. Derek muttered something about a girl moment before walking away.

"No, it doesn't have a name," Casey responded. "All it says is 'Have a Happy Valentine's Day; from Someone-Who-Cares." She paused as she ran her hand over the stem that had the thorns recently pulled off. "Who do you think it was from?"

"Oh, I think I have a good idea," Mack said before turning her head. Derek gave a slight nod before pushing off of some lockers and disappearing around a corner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Valentine's Day Part 2**

"Will you two hurry up?" Derek shouted from the living room. He was standing right at the bottom of the stairs with his arm resting on the banister before glancing at his watch. He was wearing a white blazer over a black button down shirt, white pants, and white shoes.

"Hey, I didn't take as long as Casey did, she practically held me hostage in her room!" Mack shot back as she bounded down the stairs.

"Don't you have to dress up at this dance?" Derek asked as he looked Mack over.

"To me, this is dressing up. No one ever specified what you had to wear to a dace. All they said was dress up, they can't tell us what to wear," Mack said back with a smirk before looking down at what she was wearing. She was wearing a white button down shirt that was buttoned all the way up, a black and white striped tie, a black and blue plaid skirt, and black vans. She had eyeliner and some smudged eye shadow around her eyes. She had black and blue arm warmers on both arms and black and blue striped socks pulled up to her knees.

"Too bad I didn't think of that," Derek grumbled before turning to the stairs again. "CASEY! If you're not down here in _five seconds_ I'm going to leave and assume that you decided to-" He stopped when Casey finally came down the stairs. She was wearing a purple v-neck dress that stopped at her knees; she had matching purple heels and purple bracelets. Purple eye shadow was also on her eyelids. "Walk," he finished.

"Smooooothe," Mack said with a laugh before shouting, "Nora, George, if you want pictures you better take them now!"

"Why'd you do that, now we won't be able to get out of here," Derek said as George and Nora rushed into the living room. He blinked when Nora took a picture and started rubbing his eyes. "Good God I think I went blind, now I can't go to the dance."

"Haha, you wish Venturi," Mack said as she rolled her eyes. "Now suck it up and be a man...if that's possible."

He opened his mouth to shoot her a comeback but George stopped him by making them get together for a 'decent' picture, decent meaning Derek not giving Casey rabbit ears or Mack yanking on his ear. They finally got one good picture and they left the house to head to the dance.

"Wow...this is very-" Derek started once they entered the dance.

"Pink!" Mack finished in disgust as she made a face. Pink lights lit up the gym. Tables with pink cloths were set up around the dance floor, and on the snack table was a bowl of pink punch and pink cupcakes and cookies. "Pink! Valentine's Day should be red and white but pink!? I think I'm going to be sick!"

"I think I'm going to be sick with you," Derek groaned as he held his stomach. "Please remind me why I agreed to come."

"Because George and Nora forced you to take me," Casey said through gritted teeth. Derek rolled his eyes at how bitter she was. For once he didn't mind that he was forced into doing something to make sure that Casey had fun but she was all ready starting to get on his nerves.

"You better be glad that I decided to come with you," Derek said through clenched teeth.

"Whatever, Derek, I don't need you around for me to have fun," Casey declared before she turned and pushed her way through the crowd to find Emily.

"That's what you think," Derek muttered under his breath. He looked around the crowded dance floor for Ralph or any of his other friends but he found no one. He walked over to a table and sat down in an empty chair, watching as people got onto the dance floor and walked off it, laughing, and heading for food. He found great amusement in Emily trying to dance with Sheldon, who was doing a imitation of a spastic chicken. He, painfully, accepted the fact that he would have to eat vegetables when he noticed how much fun Mack and Noel seemed to be having as they danced to Panic! At the Disco's _Time to Dance._

"Hey everyone, this is the last dance of the night so make it count. Grab that special someone and have a Happy Valentine's Day!" The DJ said into a microphone as a slow song came on and the lights dimmed. _'This boring night went by that fast?'_ Derek thought in amazement once the announcement registered in his head.

"Hey Derek, do you want to dance?" A blond girl asked as she tugged on her hair and smiled coyly at Derek. He just raised an eyebrow as he looked past her.

"No," he said in a bored tone ignoring the hurt in the girl's eyes before she stomped away. That was the seventh time he turned a girl down that night. Why? Because he couldn't grip enough courage in the world to ask the girl he wanted to ask to dance.

"Did you even dance at all?" Mack asked, dropping down into the seat across from him.

"Shouldn't you be dancing with your boyfriend?" Derek asked, failing to hide the bitterness that seeped into his voice.

"Don't be such a sore loser, Venturi," Mack snapped. "But we decided to skip this dance, if you must know." She paused and asked, "Aren't you going to dance?"

"What's the point?" Derek asked as he turned to look at her. "It's going to be some meaningless dance to a meaningless song that we won't remember when we're eighteen."

"Derek, you're sixteen."

"It's not like I'm going to memorize every moment of this insignificant dance."

"Ok ok, don't go biting my head off!" Mack said as she stood. "I'll go find Casey so we can go."

"Who's she dancing with anyway?" Derek asked before stopping the words coming out of his mouth.

"Is Derek Venturi jealous?" Mack asked as she placed her hands on her hips and smirked at him. He kept a blank look on his face before she turned around and went to go find Casey. She found Derek first as she came over quickly wiping her eyes so he wouldn't see the tears that was falling.

"Case?" He asked as he reached out to her.

"Can we just go?" She asked as she took a step away from him without looking in his eyes. He nodded and the two went to find Mack. Once they found her Derek lead the two girls to the car, where the ride was unusual. For once Mack was they borderline hyper one and Casey was quiet. Derek wanted to ask Casey why she was crying but he knew to keep his distance and to keep his mouth shut.

"Hey kids, did you have fun?" George asked from the couch. Derek grunted in reply before going straight up the stairs. "I'm assuming he did," George muttered.

"He's mad because he had no one to dance with," Mack said with a smirk. "I for one had fun seeing Derek put in his place."

"Good," Nora said with a nod. "Casey, what did you think of the dance?"

"It was _great_!" Casey said in a tight voice, anger radiating off of her like a heater in winter. "Everything was just..._great_."

"Great," Nora and George said in unison before looking at each other.

"I don't know about you two but I'm beat," Mack said before yawning. She started up the stairs and Casey followed her, muttering under her breath about bad boyfriends. Mack just shook her head before the two entered Casey's room. "Hey Case, check this out," Mack said as she nodded towards Casey's bed.

"Where'd this come from?" Casey asked as she picked up the rose that was lying on her bed. She took a look at the note before reading it out loud, "'Sorry to hear that you didn't have fun at the dance. Hopefully this rose makes everything better. From: Someone Who Cares.' Aww, it's probably from Max."

"Probably," Mack muttered before turning around. Derek winked before leaving the doorway to go to his room.

Casey didn't have to know.


End file.
